Vibratory plate compactors may be used to compact and flatten a work surface such as soil, gravel, asphalt, or other work surfaces. A vibratory plate compactor may be manually operated, or may be an attachment on a larger, operator-controlled host machine such as an excavator, a mini-excavator, a backhoe, or a skid steer. When attached to a machine, the vibratory plate compactor may be attached to a free end of a boom that may be rotated, raised, or lowered to position the vibratory plate compactor on a selected work surface. A vibratory plate compactor may include an upper portion having an upper yoke, and a lower portion having a base plate that contacts the work surface and vibrates to compact the work surface. A vibration mechanism that includes an eccentric mass may be associated with the base plate to cause vibration of the base plate. To dampen vibrations from the base plate to the upper yoke, the vibratory plate compactor may further include isolator mounts connected between the upper portion and the lower portion of the compactor. The isolator mounts may include an elastomeric material absorbs vibrations to prevent the transmission of vibrations to the host machine.
The upper yoke of the vibratory plate tor may include legs having bottom surfaces that may strike the base plate as a downward force is applied on the compactor from the host machine. This may lead to wear at both the base plate and the upper yoke where contacts are made. To protect the legs of the upper yoke from damage, metal “feet” may be attached to the bottom surfaces of the yoke that strikes the base plate. While effective, the metal-metal contacts between the metal feet and the base plate may result in gouges, rust, and/or paint chipping at both the metal feet and the base plate where strikes occur.
German Patent Number DE10355172B3 discloses a compressor device for attachment to an excavator, wherein the compressor device includes an upper part, a lower part having a compressor plate, and a damping means interconnected between the upper part and the lower part to reduce the transmission of vibrations to the excavator. However, the compressor device does not include a mechanism for protecting the upper part and the compressor plate from damage when strikes occur between portions of the upper part and the compressor plate.
Thus, there is a need for improved strategies for protecting the upper yoke and the lower base plate of vibratory plate compactors from wear.